Luca Botta (Tenor) (Amalfi 1882 - New York 1917)

He was a student of  Guglielmo Vergine in Naples. He made his debut in 1908 in the Royal Opera Theatre in Malta, in 1910 he had big success in Naples as Turiddu in ‘’Cavalleria rusticana’’. Guest performances in Turin, Mantua, Verona, Milan and at the Opera Theatre of Malta followed. In 1913 Botta came to North America, he sang here first with the western Metropolitan Opera Company in San Francisco. In 1914 famous soprano Frances Alda provided an engagement in the Metropolitan opera in New York for him. His first role Rodolfo in ‘’La Boheme’’ he sang there with big success. During the following years he appeared in different roles in the Metropolitan Opera with huge success and critics called him the successor of Caruso. In 1915 he sang there in the premiere of the opera ''L'Oracolo'' of Leoni, in 1917 in Borodin's ''Prince Igor'' and in Massenet's ''Thais''. He appeared at the Metropolitan opera also as Alfredo in ''La Traviata'', as Turiddu in ''Cavalleria rusticana'', as Osaka in Mascagnis ''Iris'' and as Cavaradossi in ''Tosca''. In 1914 Luca Botta guested at the Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires as Pinkerton in Puccini’s ‘’Madama Butterfly’’, as Huon in ''Oberon'' of Weber and as Avito in the South American premiere of Montemezzi's ''Amore dei tre Re''. In 1915 Luca Botta sang very successfully at the Opera Theatre of Boston. Unfortunately he has fallen ill and died young from brain tumor in New York City.

Chronology of some appearances

1908 Malta Teatro Reale Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1909 Malta Teatro Reale Traviata (Alfredo)

1910 Tunisi Politeama Rossini Boheme (Rodolfo)

1911 Messina Teatro Mastroieni Fedora (Loris)

1912 Barletta Teatro Curci Andrea Chenier (Chenier)

1913 Mantova Teatro Sociale Isabeau (Folco)

1914 Verona Teatro Filarmonico Loreley (Walter)

1915  Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)

1916 Boston Opera House Boheme (Rodolfo)

1917  New York Brooklyn Opera House Thais (Nicia)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Soc. Fonografica Napoletana, Napoli 1911/1912?

Traviata (Verdi): Scena della borsa with Serafina Scalfaro 43125    
Traviata (Verdi): Alfredo, Alfredo with Serafina Scalfaro and  Giorgio Schottler 43152    
Traviata (Verdi): Gran dio morir with Serafina Scalfaro 43171    
Traviata (Verdi): Parigi, o cara with Serafina Scalfaro 43183    

Gramophone, Milano 1912-09-17

Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Vedete io son fedele with Ebe Boccolini    054397 S 3412
Manon Lescaut (Puccini): O tentatrice with Ebe Boccolini 054398 S 3412
Mefistofele (Boito): La luna immobile with Ebe Boccolini and Giulia  Martinengo 054403 S 5504

Gramophone, Milano 1912-09-19

Mefistofele (Boito): Giunto sul passo estremo with Giuseppe Tischi-Rubini 054407 481aj

Gramophone, Milano 1912-09-24

Tosca (Puccini): Amaro sol per te with Irene Sollohub 54471    1948ah

Victor, USA 1912-09-29

Traviata (Verdi): Prendi questa e l'immagine with Ebe Boccolini and Ernesto Badini 68538